I'm so gutted... don't want to loose confidence jumping again!

Quartz

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My horse is known for being very strong and hot head when jumping. I have just decided to give up taking him into group lessons as have just had such a struggle with him over the last two years. So I now have a lovely girl (higher level than me) ride him during her jumping lessons. I rode a school pony for the first time in 2 years for my jump lesson a couple of weeks ago and had a blast, I can honestly say I enjoyed myself for the first time in years!

So we decided for group lessons, ride a school pony when jumping. Then have private jumping lessons with him. It was booked for last week but I was quite ill with a virus and all over the weekend. So felt better yesterday and decided to go ahead with my lesson today. Well that was a mistake!! I fell off on the first warm up jump taking the poles and wings with me. Then had two ok warm up jumps. The 4th one was a disaster and I don't even know what happened, I jumped but then ended up hanging off and he took off and then I hit the ground hard. Stayed on the floor for a while as my head was spinning and broke my hat. Ripped my nail off (gutted!) Anyway, it wasn't his fault he hadn't actually done anything wrong for me to loose my balance, he was calm. I just didn't seem to have the strength to hold my body propery and with him you have to be on the ball. So my own stupid fault really, but am sooooo disapointed and just worried again now.

Any words of wisdom to help me feel better would be great, and advice for next time.
 

celia

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I know how you feel! I completely lost my confidence when jumping a couple of years back - I had a scary fall and then an unrelated break from riding due to illness and when I started jumping again I was terrified! It's a horrible feeling especially when you really do want to do it. I'm getting a lot better now but it's taken me over 18 months - although I only jump every couple of weeks which probably doesn't help. I find that really working on my position and effectiveness helps to give me confidence in my own ability. For me things go much better when I feel properly in control so the right horse has helped a lot. If I were you I would carry on just jumping the school horse as it sounds like you got on well. If you really concentrate on getting your position spot on and being 'with' the horse at all stages of the jump - without having to worry so much about what the horse is doing - it will start to become second nature. This is the stage when you can start pushing yourself a little. When your position is really good regardless of how you're feeling (e.g. I tip forwards when I'm nervous which really doesn't help me stay in balance, although I am starting to improve now just though lots of practice and having a good instructor keep pointing it out!) then it's much easier to cope with bad jumps or anything else happening beneath you! If you could ride a more tricky horse a few times before you start jumping your own again it would probably help too, as it will give you confidence that you can cope with something stronger and/or faster. I think often with our own horses we put more pressure on ourselves and it also sounds a little as though you are expecting to have trouble with him, which won't be helping. Anyway, sorry to have rambled on. It sounds like you're going in the right direction and there are always going to be setbacks but if you build things up slowly I'm sure you'll get there! :)
 

Littlelegs

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Carry on with jumping a school horse, when you ride yours have a neck strap & keep it simple on him. I'd also recommend always staying several steps behind on yours from whatever you are capable on the school horse. So if you're happy doing a 2'6 course on the school horse, make it 2 individual 2' jumps on yours, 3' grid on school horse with no stirrups, 2' grid with stirrups on yours- whatever level you're at just tailor the above to suit. If you work below your capability on yours it should boost your confidence, whilst the school pony improves your ability.
 

Quartz

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Thanks, I just feel really stupid as it was not even very big the jump and we were only trotting. I just wasn't with him at all! I will carry on with the school pony (get on well with school pony as in my head I just think it will be so much easier than riding mine!!).

Its a shame as my position had got better, but today I just had no strength to keep in the right position. It was a disaster and just worried it will make me worse next time I do jump him.
 

meandmyself

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Try thinking of it this way- next time you jump him, you'll be back to your normal self. Neither of you did anything wrong. It was just one of those things that happened because you'd been ill.

How about taking lunge lessons on him with a few jumps included?
 

Sally-FF

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Carry on with jumping a school horse, when you ride yours have a neck strap & keep it simple on him. I'd also recommend always staying several steps behind on yours from whatever you are capable on the school horse. So if you're happy doing a 2'6 course on the school horse, make it 2 individual 2' jumps on yours, 3' grid on school horse with no stirrups, 2' grid with stirrups on yours- whatever level you're at just tailor the above to suit. If you work below your capability on yours it should boost your confidence, whilst the school pony improves your ability.

Good advice!
 

Quartz

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All good advice, so thanks. I just hope I don't get too stressed when we jump next time by keeping this time in my head.

Also not sure if I need to get a new hat now as the top panel seemed to come off where the vents are. My instructor was putting it back together while I was in a heap on the floor!!
 

JustMe22

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DEFINITELY get a new hat. Your brain really isn't something you want to take risks with!

Get a neckstrap so you can grab on when you jump, and keep on with the school pony :)
 

meandmyself

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All good advice, so thanks. I just hope I don't get too stressed when we jump next time by keeping this time in my head.

Also not sure if I need to get a new hat now as the top panel seemed to come off where the vents are. My instructor was putting it back together while I was in a heap on the floor!!

Yes, you will need a new helmet. They should be replaced after any fall where you bang your head. Better paying for a new helmet than damaging your brain. :)
 
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